Criminal Justice Colleges in South Dakota

South Dakota is known for its national parks and monuments, and admired for the beauty of its landscape. There are approximately 11 criminal justice schools in South Dakota, which means many who live in the big state do not live near a college with a program. For people in this category, online criminal justice schools in South Dakota offer a great way to earn the degree, without having to move. The FBI reports that South Dakota crime rates are below the national average in all major areas except rape. Data from the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation supports this information, and adds that DUI (driving under the influence) rates are also high.

Law Enforcement and Police Jobs in South Dakota

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the 2009 mean salary for protective services jobs, including law enforcement jobs in South Dakota, was $34,230; the 2009 national mean was $41,740. There were 6,010 protective services employees in South Dakota in 2009, equaling to 1 per 135 people, compared with 1 per 96.8 nationally. But most of South Dakota's towns have 1,000 or fewer people and had few or no arrests in 2009. In fact, 2008 data from the National Institute of Corrections found that the state had a 50 percent lower crime rate than the national average. Most of South Dakota's crime exists in its biggest cities of Rapid City and Sioux Falls, but neither of these cities experiences the highest crime rates per population. The following regions do:

Sisseton

Deadwood

Mobridge

The FBI reports there were 445 arrests for forcible rape in South Dakota in 2009, equaling 54.8 rapes per 100,000 people. The national average was 28.7 per 100,000. According to the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the two most common crimes in South Dakota are driving under the influence and liquor law violations. Most police jobs in South Dakota will be found in Rapid City and Sioux Falls, and many will be patrolling highways for driving violations. Obviously, sex crime experts are also needed in the state.